Far Longer Than Forever
by Cupc4k3 R34p3r
Summary: After being banished from his kingdom, Prince Aragon is determined to redeem the hand in marriage of Sam, his human bride. Will Danny be able to save her? And what's with the appearance of a mysterious violet-eyed cat? Based on Swan Princess
1. Abduction

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER **

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><p><strong>AN****:** 1st fanfic! :) I'm Cupcake Reaper. Reviews are always appreciated. And a special thanks to my editor, **love with all the ****feathers**. Without her, this story probably wouldn't have been close to its current quality. Even over my shoulder, she's yelling at me for grammar mistakes in my author's note -_-

**E/N: **This is **love with all the feathers.** I'll probably be commenting every once in a while. ^-^ I'm the one that makes it all pretty! :) Do enjoy the story...

**Cupcake Reaper:** Since when does the editor get a note? :P

**E/N: **Since I put this much work into your stories -_-

**Cupcake Reaper: **Whatever. On with the story!

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

**SAM'S POV**

I sat cross-legged on my bed, when I looked over at the clock. 7:45 PM. I should have just enough time to finish this English assignment, if I wanted to patrol the city with Danny and Tucker at our usual time. _Ughhh_, why does Mr. Lancer always have to assign so much work? With all the ghosts that have been appearing lately, I barely have time for anything else. I can only imagine how cluttered Danny's schedule must be. Chances are, he didn't even start this project. It amazes me that he even passed freshman year. I guess when you come from a family of geniuses, you find a way to get by with so little time. Don't get me wrong, his grades were still just barely high enough to pass. As for me, I've had plenty of practice at managing my time. I could never get away with faking as many assignments as Danny did. Just a few more sentences left to go...

I turned the volume of my music up, and the vibrations radiating from my purple skull-candy headphones intensified. I truly loved music. There's a song for every possible emotion or situation, and my iPod was almost running out of room to fit it all. I let my mind wander as I closed my eyes for a few seconds, to take in the next song the shuffle feature had selected.

_THUD_

My mind snapped back to reality instantaneously.

"Hello? Is someone there?" I asked out loud, as I searched the room. I pulled my headphones down so that they rested on my neck. I figured it was Danny, who was actually early for once. That was the best part about having a friend with ghost powers. If I ever needed to see him, he could be here within minutes, at any hour of the day.

"Danny, I swear, if that's you messing with me…" I called out to thin air. It's true that in the past, he's tried to scare us, but he was terrible at it. For a ghost, he wasn't very frightening, so he gave up on messing with us a while ago. Besides, usually if he came early, he would call first...

Then I noticed the figure materializing in front of me. The figure that certainly wasn't Danny.

"You!" I exclaimed, completely caught off guard. "What are you doing here?"

The bitter prince stared back at me with cold eyes. "I came to claim what is rightfully mine." His facial expression was set to a perpetual frown.

I had no idea what this guy was talking about. Last I'd seen him, we'd kicked his butt out of the dark ages. What could he possibly want from me?

"And what would that be? What is 'rightfully yours?'" I asked him. I added air-quotes to emphasize his strange choice of words.

Aragon's gaze met mine. "It is _your_ fault I lost my kingdom! With my banishment, I had lost everything… However…" His eyes narrowed as a sly grin formed on his face. "I still intend to have the hand in marriage of my beautiful human bride."

Oh. That.

He got down on one knee and looked up at me, his eyes mocking. "So darling, what do you say?"

"Don't 'darling' me!" I replied quickly, rising from the bed. "Of course I'm not gonna marry you. You're not exactly the nicest person out there. And you're not even a person! You're a ghost!" This guy was definitely nuts.

That seemed to take him down a couple notches. His grin shifted back to his usual scowl. Had he really been that sure I would say "yes?" Was he really _that_arrogant?

"I wasn't giving you a choice," he stated as a fact. "You WILL marry me!"

"In your dreams!" I shouted back, crossing my arms and turning myself away so that my back was facing him.

He clenched his teeth. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. I'll give you one. Last. Chance…" he breathed, calming himself down. "...Will you marry me?"

"Wow, you mean lil ol' me gets the _privilege_ of wedding the _oh-so-charming_Prince Aragon?" I asked sarcastically, looking up at the ceiling with the back of my hand resting on my forehead for dramatic effect.

"Why of course, my lady," he said humbly, taking my statement seriously. Gosh, was he stupid. Hadn't they ever heard of sarcasm in the Dark Ages?

Apparently not.

"So, I assume you have decided to take me up on my offer?" he asked, yet again.

He outstretched his arm, and grabbed my hand, pulling it closer. He proceeded to press his cold lips against my bare skin. Despite my discomfort, I decided to humor him further. I brought my other hand up to my face and pressed my pointer finger on my chin, just below.

"Well, let me think..." I looked up, as his eyes lit up, filled with hope.

"No," I said in a harsh voice, staring him down. His eyebrows narrowed, and he was furious. He immediately came back to his feet, and threw my hand down. Caught off guard, I stumbled backwards a moment before regaining my composure and crossed arms.

"That is _it_!" exclaimed Aragon, more enraged than ever. "I tried doing this the easy way, but you force me to do this!"

I barely had time to process his words before he jumped out at me, wrapping his arms around my waist, making sure to have a tight grip.

"Hey, what are you doing? Let me go!" I cried out while trying to break free. Sometimes I forget how much stronger ghosts are then humans.

"Never! You WILL be my bride by choice!" He hissed at me. I wanted to scream, but my mouth was covered by his hand. He flew upwards, and phased out through the roof. He flew away quickly, and I knew there was nothing I could do to break free until we arrived to wherever he was taking me.

Up high, invisible and silhouetted by the darkening sky, I couldn't help but notice the ghost boy far below, flying in the direction of my house. Where I'd just been moments ago.


	2. Disappearance

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN:** Yay! Next chapter! :D I'm hoping I'll get to write a lot this week because I'm spending my winter break at my grandma's house, and there's really nothing to do. We finally convinced her to get wi-fi, but I'm not sure when it'll be set up. If I don't post anything through-out the week, you could probably expect an explosion of chapters at the end of next week, but no promises, just because I don't want to get your hopes up, only for my computer to crash. On with the story!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**Danny's POV**

_DONG DONG_

The clock tower struck eight times. At the sound, I gained speed, knowing Sam wouldn't be happy if I'm late again. How many times do I have to shove the box ghost in the thermos until he leaves me alone? He's far from a threat, just an annoyance. I've lost track of how many times that guy has made me late for something.

Just like every night, I would get Sam, and then we'd both meet up with Tucker. It was our usual routine.

A wisp of icy blue smoke escaped my lips.

I looked around, half-expecting to hear the box ghost's same rant about his "cardboard squares of doom." But he was already in my thermos. I searched the sky for a ghost of some sort, but none revealed themselves.

_Ugh, I don't have time for this. If this one's not causing any trouble, I'll get it later. Sam would kill me if I'm late again. _I thought to myself as I moved forward, gaining more speed by the second. At last, I'd reached her house.

I knocked on the window. I've learned to respect her privacy, and not just barge in randomly.

There was no answer. I waited a couple more minutes, but grew impatient. Eventually, I just phased through into her room anyway. I looked around and it was empty. No sign of her.

_Maybe she took a shower or something. _I thought to myself. In reality, she would never take a shower at this time. We were all accustomed to this schedule; we've found time to do these things. Usually, she'd be finishing her homework right about now…

I wandered over to the laptop resting on her bed, and opened it up. A word document was being typed.

**Edgar Allen Poe- The Black Cat**

I suddenly remembered the homework assignment Mr. Lancer assigned us last week. I think it was Young Blood who I was fighting when it was being explained. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure when it's due. Hopefully, not tomorrow.

I scrolled down to see that it wasn't finished. It ends mid-sentence in what looks like the conclusion paragraph.

_That's weird._ I thought, pondering what happened to my dark-spirited friend. Maybe she _is_ in the shower or something. I'm not about to phase through and find out, that's for sure!

Suddenly, my Fenton-phones beeped, and my heart soared with relief, assuming it was Sam to check in saying she's ok.

"Dude, where are you?" My heart dropped. It was only Tucker. Not that there's anything wrong with him, I was just hoping for some kind of reassurance.

"I'm at Sam's house. I can't find her anywhere!" I explained.

"Relax dude." Tucker said attempting to calm me down. "Remember, she is a girl." He said as though I had somehow forgotten. "She's probably just taking her time in the bathroom. Did you try knocking on her bathroom door?"

"Tucker, that's a terrible idea." I replied quickly. "What if her mom was in there or something?"

There was a bit of silence for a few seconds.

"You worry to much. It's probably nothing." Tucker said, completely casual. "Besides, I doubt it was a ghost. They'd usually capture the both of us, and even then, it's only to use as bait to get to you. I'm sure if it was anything like _that_ you'd know about it by now."

I was still unsure. I had a terrible feeling in my gut that something horrible had happened to her.

I choked back my paranoia. "Alright, Tuck. I'll be over there in a few minutes. I guess we're patrolling without her." I phased out through the roof and headed to Tucker's. Maybe he was right. Maybe there really was nothing to worry about. Even if there was, we could probably find her when on patrol…

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" He announced excitedly.

After about two hours of patrolling, Tucker went home to finish his own English assignment. He told me it _was _ due tomorrow after all. Just what I needed, more work to worry about.

I didn't go home though. I stayed out to search for her. At around midnight, I went back to Sam's expecting her to be in her room, back from wherever she had disappeared to. She wasn't.

I searched until dawn…


	3. Gone

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **Yay! Next chapter! And so soon after the last one, too :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Danny's POV**

I arrived home at about 5:30am. Having searched all night, I got no sleep at all. Where could she have gone off to?

I showered, got dressed and ready and was about to head off to school, when Jazz asked me if I wanted a ride. Normally, I would decline. I liked flying better. However, in my exhausted state, I just didn't have the energy. I'm sure Jazz sensed this, which is what prompted her to offer in the first place. She never failed to play the role of the over-protective sister. Ever.

When I got to school, I walked over to the tree where Sam, Tucker, and I always met in the morning. Part of me hoped that Sam would be there, but another part of me knew better.

"Hey Tucker." I said with a yawn, too tired to express much emotion.

"Hey Danny" He replied "How'd your English paper go?"

English paper? What was he- Oh, I forgot about that completely! Ugh! I swear, Mr. Lancer picks the _worst_ times to assign these things. It's like he knows when trouble is about to happen, and plans his homework accordingly.

"You didn't do the assignment, did you?" He asked already knowing the answer. He knew me all too well.

"I meant to, but then I got caught up-"

"Looking for Sam?" he interrupted. "You worry too much. She'll probably be here any second."

But she never came. Eventually, the bell rang and we had to go inside and get to class.

I wound up spending my lunch period in the computer lab trying to finish my sorry excuse for a paper. Tucker re-explained the assignment to me. We had to pick an Edgar Allen Poe short story and write about how he "invoked fear in the reader" or whatever. I did mine on the tell-tale heart, only because I remember the SpongeBob parody and I was a little more familiar with it. Tucker did his on the Cask of Amontillado and I recall Sam doing her paper on the Black Cat… Sam…

Why wasn't her paper finished when I got to her room last night? What happened to her? Sam, where are you?

I had English the next period, and the second everyone sat down, he collected our papers. I pulled my freshly printed-out paper out of my backpack and handed it to him. At this point, I would be lucky to get a C.

By the end of the school day, I was an absolute wreck. Tucker and I walked home, as usual, and discussed the possible whereabouts of our lost friend.

"She might be sick. You remember the last time she was sick, her parents had all those doctors come and look at her. Maybe they shipped her to some hospital or something."

As much as I wanted to believe something like that, I knew it wasn't true. "Tucker, don't you think she would've called to let us know? And her paper wasn't even finished…"

We crossed the street and made our way on to the next block. We spotted Sam's house, and saw several police cars surrounding it. Mrs. Manson was in tears talking to a police officer, while Mr. Manson was attempting to comfort her, while he himself looked just as broken.

"Oh please, you just have to find our Sammy-kins!" she cried. The man offered her a tissue and she blew her nose.

Tucker and I approached the couple. "What's going on?" I asked.

Mrs. Manson glared at me. "You! You probably had something to do with this! You were always a bad influence on her, and now she's… she's…"

"…Gone…" Mr. Manson finished. Gone? What did he mean by gone?

Tucker's face showed shock and horror. After listening to all my possible theories of what happened to her, it was confirmed something was wrong. "You mean she…" Tucker started, but I ran away before he could finish. I knew what was going on, and I didn't want to admit it. I didn't want to be there, I didn't want to hear any of this. I should've been protecting her. I failed her… I…

Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted as my foot caught something and I face-planted right to the hard concrete. A loud shriek entered my ears as I plummeted to the ground. What was that?

I looked up to see I had stumbled over a small black feline. I felt kind of bad for hurting the poor thing, but it shouldn't have gotten in the way.

"Stupid cat…" I said. I was more of a dog person anyway. I never liked cats. I got up, and decided to search for Sam as Phantom.

I looked to make sure nobody was around. "I'm going ghost!" I shouted as the white rings surrounded me. "Don't worry, Sam. I'll find you." I muttered under my breath as I took off.

I spent the rest of the day searching. I spotted a few ghosts, but after interrogating each, I had come up with nothing. Even so, I trapped each and every one of them in my thermos with ease.

It wasn't until late night that I knew Sam wasn't in Amity Park. I would've found her by now if she was… I was already tired from the previous night and I knew I had to rest. How can I expect to help her if I have so little strength? At around midnight, I went to bed but I didn't get any sleep. How could I when Sam was still out there, possibly in danger?


	4. Cursebound

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **I'll be honest. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this story. Having trouble brain-storming ahead, so I'm gonna wing it! :D I mean, I have a basic idea of what I want to happen, so we'll see where it goes. Please review! I appreciate it! :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**Sam's POV**

_Run, run, run!_

I thought to myself. It isn't easy trying to move through a tree-covered forest, while being careful to evade the many roots. Everything seems so much bigger…

_I'm not gonna make it!_

I picked up speed in hopes that by some miracle, I'd reach my destination on time.

Finally, I saw the familiar stone wall. I heaved a heavy sigh, thankful I found it so soon. I honestly wasn't even sure I was headed in the right direction.

I found the same gap in the wall I had originally gone through to escape. Just barely small enough to fit, I squeezed through.

Surrounding me was the beautiful garden enclosed by stone. In the center lies a shallow lake, just deep enough to wet my feet. I ran to the center of it, just as the moon's reflection shone through to that very spot. A white light engulfed me.

Suddenly, I felt like myself again. Humanity was nice, certainly something I had taken for granted. I walked over to a patch of grass to lay down. I rolled around a little bit, just because it felt, well, nice. Those few seconds were blissful. But then _he _appeared, and ruined my brief moment of happiness…

"What do _you_ want?" I shouted at him, sitting back up. Aragon just laughed.

"Why, darling, I want the same as I did last night." He smiled.

"Well, forget it!" I retaliated. By now I was standing up, my fists clenched with rage.

"Whoa, don't you want to think over your options?" The way he managed to keep his cool… he was so sure he had the upper-hand…

"Danny _will_ stop you." I hissed through my teeth. Aragon laughed even more, infuriating me.

"Haha, and just how will he do that? He'll never find you. What is it your 'rescuer' referred to you as? Stupid cat?" His laughter grew at that last statement. My face fell as I recalled the events of earlier that day.

"H-he didn't know it was me!" My face grew red as I finally got the words out.

"Exactly." His laughter died down to a simple smirk. I understood the severity of that one word.

There was a long silence. "He _will_ figure it out..." I said in the most serious tone.

"If you say so. Just remember, your options. When the moon leaves the lake, no matter where you are, you _will_ revert back to a cat. And the best part? No matter how many times you leave, you'll always have to be back by moonlight, or you will not regain your humanity. However, the curse can be lifted with one simple word…"

I scowled as I crossed my arms and turned away from him. "Never…" I muttered under my breath.

Aragon stood strong. "Very well. Maybe you need another day to _think_ about it." I looked in horror, as the moon was leaving the sky. So little time…

He laughed maniacally as he teleported away, leaving me to my thoughts.

I sat back down and put my head in my hands.

…_He will save me…_

Suddenly, I played those words back in my head. I hated having to rely on someone else to bail me out, but with this curse… There really was nothing I could do. I had to get his attention, but it was so hard…

_UGH! _I exclaimed loudly as I fell backwards onto the grass.

_But he can be so clueless… I'll just have to do my best. I have to stay strong!_

I rested there, for I would need to keep up my strength the following day. I dozed off, and slept for awhile.

Suddenly, I was awoken by a bright light…

I sat up quickly, as my mind snapped back to reality.

I ran over to the lake and stared at the reflection. A black cat stared back at me with deep violet eyes.

If I'm ever going to break this curse, the first thing I'm going to have to do is get his attention. That didn't go so well the first time…

***FLASHBACK***

_Where on earth can he be…?_

A black cat pokes her head through an alleyway, to see a raven-haired boy running down the sidewalk.

_Danny!_

The cat rushes to greet him, but he doesn't even notice her. His foot hits her and he tumbles to the ground, while the poor kitty is left sitting there, hurt.

"_Stupid cat!_"

***END OF FLASHBACK***

_He tripped on me! He actually tripped on me! This is going to be so hard…_

As I crawled through the hole in the stone wall, I remembered what he had said before flying away.

"_Don't worry, Sam. I'll find you."_

I smiled as I recalled the determination in his voice. Perhaps he would look hard enough to see what's right in front of him.

I ran towards town, with a new plan in mind.


	5. Clue

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **I actually re-watched the Swan Princess the other day to make sure I wasn't screwing up the plot too bad. XD That movie is good. It's gonna be different from the movie, though. Something tells me Danny making a "vow of everlasting love" isn't exactly in character. Expect some strange (and hopefully awkward) twists. :D

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**Danny's POV**

Sam's disappearance leaked to the gossip chain. The whole school has been coming up with crazy theories about what happened to her. A lot of people think it could be ghost related, considering the town we live in. Some people think Danny Phantom especially is related to this. I don't blame them, because he often appears when she is around, and people had to have caught on to that. There's also plenty others convinced she ran away. I've been getting a lot of questions about her, but I just ignore them all. I don't want to talk to anyone who pretends to care about her.

Every day after school, I would train nonstop. Who knows what kind of danger she's in? When I find her, I'll have to be prepared to face anything. Tucker's been helping me to train. I've been pushing my limits every day, getting stronger.

"So, are you taking anyone to the dance?" Tucker asked. I can't believe what's on his mind…

"Tucker!" I shouted while aiming my ecto-ray at the next target and hitting the bull's-eye spot-on. That's right… the dance was in a few days… I flash-backed to last year's dance. Sam looked so beautiful in her purple gothic Lolita gown. Dancing with her truly was amazing…

"What?" He asked innocently. "Look, I know what you're thinking, but there are plenty of other girls! How 'bout Valerie?"

I thought back to her. There was still so much romantic tension between us, it would never work.

"Pass." I replied, firing more ecto-blasts.

"How about…"

"Can we not talk about this?" I interrupted bitterly. He understood my harsh tone as a signal to shut up. How could he even think about something like this? Sam was his friend too…

"I was just trying to help get your mind off-"

"WELL, IT'S NOT WORKING!" I shouted. I could feel my eyes glowing brighter as Tucker cowered back.

I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Tuck… I shouldn't have yelled… I'm just really worried, is all…"

"It's ok, dude. I get it." He replied. Did he get it? I didn't want to say that, though. Not after I had just yelled at him.

"I know, you were only trying to help, but please…" I said. Taking another deep breath, I continued. "You know, you should be training too. What if I need back-up?"

This comment amused my African-American friend "YOU might need MY help? Like that'll ever happen!"

"Hey, you never know." I replied. I resumed target practice.

"I guess I could work on my throwing arm…" He took out some Fenton darts out of the weapon bag we had brought. (there's Fenton everything) He then practiced throwing them at trees from far distances. He's had plenty of practice over the passed year. When it came down to it, Tucker could actually throw pretty well, so it didn't surprise me that he decided to train in that way.

The sun was setting, and it was time to head home. We've taken to training in a somewhat secluded wooded area on the outskirts of town. We wouldn't go too far into the woods, but far enough so we wouldn't be bothered by anyone else.

I flew Tucker home and then went to my own house. I transformed in a nearby alleyway, and then walked in through the front door. The house smelt like rotten eggs, but I wasn't surprised. With my parents, you get used to something like that. Jazz was sitting on the sofa, reading some psychology book. Exhausted, I made my way up the stairs and collapsed on my bed. I layed down and rested for a few moments, when I felt something on my pillow. I picked up the object and examined it. It was a green hair tie. Who did I know who wore a green hair tie?

_No way…_

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><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

I ran as fast as I could, but my tiny legs could only get me places so fast. In my mouth, I bit down hard on the hair tie I removed from my hair the night before, not wanting to lose it.

By the time I got to town, it was already afternoon. School would be getting out soon, so I figured it would be best to wait by Danny's house.

It must've been hours I waited for him. I watched as the sun shifted positions in the sky. Time was running out… But I _had_ to give Danny some kind of clue, and soon.

It was obvious Danny wouldn't be here until it was too late. It would've been ideal for me to deliver it to him in this form, but it seems I won't be able to. Darn it! But I just have to leave it somewhere. He needs to know I'm ok… But where can I leave it where he'll notice?

Hmmmm…

I got it! I'll put it on his pillow. He'll just _have_ to notice. But how do I get there?

I looked up at the tall building towering over me. I spotted Danny's window, open wide. But his room was on the second floor, and there's no way I'd be able to get to it. I circled Fenton works, searching for another opening. No such luck.

I was about to give up hope, when I heard a small explosion, coming from the basement. One of the Fenton's experiments must've gone wrong. Again.

I saw green gasses rise inside the home, as a coughing Jazz opened the window wide to let the toxic air out.

_Perfect._

After a few minutes, Jazz left the window, but left it open to release any remaining gases from the house.

_I've only got one shot at this._

I was able to climb into the window with ease, and from there, I stealthily made my way up the stairs to Danny's room. It's a good thing Jazz wasn't paying attention, or else there could've been some real trouble. While I was about half-way up, Jazz looked up from her book momentarily, but quickly went back to reading. At the top of the stairs, I was free from the smell lingering on the first floor, and walked down the hall. Danny's door was open a crack, and I was able to push it enough to squeeze through. I jumped onto his bed and gingerly placed the hair tie on his pillow.

_Click_

At that small sound, I ran over to the door. It was closed shut.

_Oh no. _

I had no way of escaping. I couldn't reach the door handle, and not to mention my lack of opposable thumbs. I had to leave or I'd never make it back to the lake by sundown. Plus, how would you react if you walked into your room to find a stray cat? It would not be pretty…

I stared at the open window. Could I escape through that? They say cat's always land on their feet…

I thought it over for a few minutes, but came to the conclusion that there was no other way. I climbed to the window sill and took a deep breath. I jumped.

Free-falling was an exhilarating, yet terrifying sensation. Those few seconds felt like hours. Finally, I hit the ground, stumbled a little, but landed on my feet without any injury. I couldn't believe that actually worked! I caught my breath, and began running. I didn't have too much time.

When I was almost to the forest, I spotted Phantom flying in the sky, headed in the direction opposite of me. He was carrying someone, most likely Tucker.

_I'm sorry. I wish I could've been there to give you the clue, but I couldn't afford to make you wait any longer. You had to know that I'm ok. Please, figure it out soon…_


	6. Another Day

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **Wow, I think this is the third day in a row I've updated! Three cheers for Winter break! Thank you so much for the reviews! I really appreciate them. :) I love clueless Danny! And don't worry, there's gonna be LOTS of Sam-Kitty in the next chapter.

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

**Danny's POV**

The second I woke up, I immediately checked my wrist to make sure I hadn't imagined last night's finding. Sure enough, the green hair tie was present. It looked just like the one Sam wore in her hair…

_No, I'm not going to jump to conclusions._

I got dressed and went downstairs to eat breakfast. I poured myself some cereal and sat down at the kitchen table, across from Jazz. Maybe the hair tie was hers…

"Hey, Jazz?"

"Hmmm?" she said, looking up from her book. She was always reading, even during breakfast.

"By any chance, were you in my room yesterday?" I asked innocently.

"No, Danny. As a growing boy, you're privacy needs to be respected." She said. There she goes again with that psychologist mindset of hers. I mean, it wouldn't be all that shocking if she _had_ been secretly snooping through my room and tried to keep it a secret, but Jazz was a terrible liar. I sighed.

"Well, do you by any chance own any hair ties of any specific colors?" I asked somewhat awkwardly, and she picked up on this.

"That's a strange question…" Jazz replied, "I do have hair ties, and they're all either blue or black… Why?" I was expecting interrogation by my nosy sister.

"No reason." I lied. I guess she figured I didn't feel like telling her, so she went back to reading. So it wasn't Jazz's hair tie… Could it really be Sam's?

"I'm going to school now, bye!" I called out, grabbing my backpack and rushing out the front door.

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><p>"… And then I just found it on my bed." I finished explaining to Tucker on the way to class.<p>

"And you're positive it wasn't Jazz's?" He asked.

"Definitely. She doesn't even own any hair ties in this color" I said looking at the first real clue to my lost friend's whereabouts.

Suddenly, we were interrupted by the blonde jock standing in front of us. Dash always picked the worst times…

"Hey Fen-turd!" He shouted in his usual irritating tone. "What have you got there? A girly accessory?" He grabbed it from my hands laughing.

"You give that back!" I shouted at him angrily. He just kept laughing.

"Why should I? Is it your mommy's?" Dash replied.

"Seriously, it's important!" I yelled. I wasn't going to lose this…

"And who's gonna make me?" He hissed back. "I know what to do with this." A smile grew on his face as he began walking toward the bathroom. What was he… I stopped cold

_He was going to flush it._

Without thinking, I ran to the nearest empty classroom and transformed. There was no way I'd be able to get it back as Fenton. I just wasn't strong enough. I turned invisible, and flew quickly to the restroom Dash was in, just in time to see it flushed out of sight. I quickly phased my hand through the pipe and blindly reached around for the hair tie. I heaved a heavy sigh of relief as I felt the hair tie being caught in my gloved fingertips. My grip tightened, as I removed my hand from the pipes and flew back to the room I had originally transformed in. I put the tie safe in my pocket and ran to Mr. Lancer's room, already late.

Thankfully, Mr. Lancer was turned to the chalkboard, so I nonchalantly sat took the empty seat next to Tucker, praying not to be noticed by my usually not-so-oblivious teacher. I'm sure Tuck would want to know where I ran off to, but I bet he already had a pretty good guess. I pulled the tie out of my pocket and gave him a smile. He nodded back in understanding.

I quickly turned my head back to the front of the room. Mr. Lancer took out a large pile of papers from his desk and passed them out. We were getting the grades for our Edgar Allen Poe papers.

He handed me a paper with a big fat C- on it. Not bad, for the period before it was due. I looked at Tucker's paper. A-. Good for him.

Mr. Lancer began his explanation on why everyone got the grades that they did. I mostly tuned him out. I had a lot to think about…

It was _definitely_ Sam's hair tie… It had to be… But how did it get there? Did she leave it there before she disappeared? No, I definitely would've noticed it before last night… Somebody had to have put it there. Is it a sign? A sign that she's ok? It had to be. Where are you, Sam…? Are you truly the one who brought it to me?

When the final bell rang, I rushed to my locker. I wanted to leave as soon as possible so that I could train with Tucker.

"Dude, slow down!" He said. "We'll have plenty of time to train."

"Not enough" I replied, closing my locker door after packing my backpack.

"Come on, let's get go-" I was interrupted by a wisp of cold air. Great, another ghost attack. On the bright side, fighting ghosts was better than any training I could ever simulate.

Suddenly, Skulker phased through the ceiling. All the other students ran away in fear of the ghostly hunter. The coast was clear for me to transform. Right as the white rings finished parting, a glowing green net was launched at me.

"You're pelt is mine, whelp!"

I was able to bust out of the net with ease. Sometimes I wondered why he bothered with nets like that, considering they could only contain me for a few seconds. I flew at him at top speed, and the two of us phased out of the building, through the ceiling. Our battle took to the skies, and he launched his missiles at me. I dodged them, and fired a few of my own ecto-blasts. I really was getting better at this.

Some more witty banter was exchanged, but the fight soon got boring. I was able to beat him much easier than in the past. I uncapped the Fenton thermos and sucked the hunter into it. I put the cap on triumphantly, when a scream reached my ears.

"Somebody, help!" cried a little girl. I rolled my eyes.

_Ugh, Now what?_

And I flew down to assist with whatever trouble she was in.


	7. Damsel

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **Worked really hard on this chapter. I wanted to get it done early, because I'm going to a friend's house tonight. Disregard any spelling or grammatical errors. I rushed a little bit. ^^ Updates probably won't come every day once school starts again on Monday, but I'll try my best not to miss more than a day or two. Also, reviews are always appreciated.

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**Sam's POV**

Here I was in Amity Park, same time as yesterday. Hopefully, I'll be able to find Danny today, but who knows where he goes off to after school? He could go to the Nasty Burger, or Tuck's, or basically anywhere. Maybe if I head toward the school, I'd be able to see him before he runs off to do something else.

But, how can a cat get the attention of a hero?

_Duh. _I thought hatching a plan in my head.

I quickly scurried to the park across the street from school, and sat behind a tree. As the final bell rang, a wave of students poured out the front door. No sign of Danny or Tucker.

Suddenly, the students' walking transitioned to running, and screams could be heard. Most likely, a ghost attack. That means…

I looked up to see Danny fly through the roof of the building along with Skulker. I knew I had to act soon or I would miss the perfect oppurtunity.

I looked up at the tree I was sitting by. This was my chance. But it was so high up! How would I…?

_ARF! ARF!_

My hair (or fur) stood up as I the sound of a dog's barking reached my over-sized ears. I turned around to see a giant dog atleast four times my size charging right at me. Adrenaline pumping, I sunk my claws into the tree trunk and climbed up to the top faster than I thought possible. I clung to the branch for dear life.

A young girl, no older than twelve was running after the dog.

"Spike, come back!" She called out, struggling to keep up with the 200 pound beast. She eventually made her way over to the tree to see her dog jumping up and barking at me.

"No, bad Spike! Leave that poor kitty alone!" She scolded the animal, and it seemed to obey. How a small girl like her managed to train that thing, I'll never understand. Suddenly, I began losing my grip on the branch, and I started to slip. This was definitely a higher drop then Danny's window, and I barely made that it out of that one. This was bad.

Thankfully, the girl looked up, and noticed my struggle. Her eyes widened in horror. She was obviously an animal lover.

"Oh no! The kitty's gonna fall!" she cried out, "Somebody, help!"

In the blink of an eye, Danny Phantom flew down to the young child.

_Perfect_

"What seems to be the problem, citizen?" I couldn't help but chuckle at his 'hero tone.' The smile was wiped right off my face as I remembered the situation I was in, and that I was barely hanging on.

"That poor kitty is stuck in a tree!" She exclaimed in terror, as if it was the end of the world.

"A cat stuck in a tree? Really?" He thought out loud. I admit, it was rather cliché, but what choice did I have?

The tree branch escaped my grip, and soon I was plummeting straight toward the ground. The ghost boy zoomed at 112 miles per hour and caught me with grace. He cradled me in his arms, probably praying I wouldn't attack him. After all, Danny was never good with cats. But I was no ordinary cat.

"Here's your cat, kid." He said handing me over to the girl with caution.

"Oh, she's not my cat." The girl explained. "I just found her like this, and wanted to help her. After all, it was my dog who chased her up the tree…" She looked down guiltily at that last statement.

"Well, don't worry about it 'cuz she's safe now." The little girl grinned happily. Danny was so smooth in ghost form. He really knew how to talk to people.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Phantom!" She exclaimed happily. "And I'm sure Kitty thanks you too!" I looked up at him when the girl mentioned me.

Danny gave a slight chuckle as he bent down so that we were at eye level. "Well, you're welcome Miss Kitty." And he chuckled some more. But then his smile quickly faded and his eyes widened. He looked like he had just come to a realization, like he made some sort of connection in his mind. He stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds.

_Is this it? Did he finally figure it out?_

He shook his head, and stood straight up again. He looked like he was in deep thought.

"You're mine, ghost boy!" I knew that voice. Of course, it belonged to none other than Valerie Gray.

"Well, that's my cue to leave. Keep out of trouble!" He called out as he waved and took to the air. Still holding me in one arm, the girl shouted back. "I'll try my best! Goodbye!" It was kind of cute how the younger Amity Park residents admired their hero. Danny was now out of sight.

_Darn it! So close…_

The red jump-suited huntress appeared on her hover board. She flew over toward the girl who was still cradling me in her arms.

"Stay away from the ghost boy, kid. He's bad news." She said harshly. I hissed at her statement. You'd think after all the times he's saved her butt, she'd have forgiven him, but no. Valerie was one stubborn mule.

"But he saved Miss Kitty!" She called out to the huntress, holding me up. I hated the title "Miss Kitty," but I wasn't about to offend the girl who helped me a lot today, more so then she knows.

"Hmph, I don't have time for this." Valerie said bitterly as she swiftly headed off in the direction Danny went in.

The girl then knelt down and placed me on the grass.

"It's ok, kitty. You and I understand that the ghost boy is a _true_ hero." She said while petting my fur, and scratching my ear. I'm not one to enjoy affection, but I was willing to make an exception. It did feel sort of nice…

I licked her hand to try to express a 'thank you.' I think she understood, because she gave a smile. We needed more people like her in this town. Then again, for all I know, she'd grow up to be someone like Paulina. I shuddered at the thought.

I had to get going soon, but I wanted to stay with the girl longer. Chances are, I would never even see her again. But I had to regain my human form, even if it was only for the night. I ran off in the direction of the garden, after rubbing my head gently against her leg to say goodbye.

Tomorrow, I would find Danny. If he hadn't already figured out what happened to me (Let's face it, sometimes he could be really clueless) he'd atleast be somewhat closer to the truth. Maybe tomorrow, he would even look for _me, _instead of the other way around. Maybe… If only Valerie hadn't interrupted… He would've known for sure.


	8. Imagination

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **Sorry, I know this chapter took a little longer, and honestly it's kind of more of filler :/ I have a ton of ideas, but it's hard to get them flowing, plus as stated earlier, I don't have the ending fully planned out, so this story could go anywhere, so just bare with me. Danny's getting to close to the truth, so I'm gonna push him back a little bit. I want some more Kitty-Sam scenes before the big revelation. I have a really good one planned for next chapter :) Reviews are always appreciated.

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

**Danny's POV  
><strong>  
><em>I think I finally lost her<em>.

I thought to myself, looking around to make sure the huntress wasn't near.

_I should go find Tucker..._

I flew in the direction of the school, assuming that he'd probably still be there, waiting. As I soared through the sky, my thoughts drifted back to the mysterious black cat from earlier.

There was definitely something peculiar about that cat... Come to think of it, I saw a black cat the night after Sam's disappearance. I guess it's true that black cats bring bad luck. But there was something different about this one... We're cats supposed to have violet eyes? They reminded me so much of Sam's... It's almost like they were mocking me... No, this sounds ridiculous! It was just another stray animal... Then again, I fight ghosts... I'm ready to believe in anything at this point. I'll have to keep my eye on the cat, when I see her again... If I see her again, that is.

I landed at the front of the school and looked around for my friend. I found him sitting under a tree, PDA in hand. With his headphones in, he didn't even notice my arrival. I smiled as I thought of a way to have some fun. I turned invisible, I snuck up behind him.

_BOOOOO!_

He didn't move a muscle. Not even a flinch.

"Still not scary, dude." Tucker said, not even looking away from his PDA. I was disappointed by his reaction. Well, more like his lack of reaction.

"What took so long?" He continued.

"Well, after I caught Skulker, there was this cat stuck in a tree, and then-"

"Whoa, a cat stuck in a tree?" He interrupted. "How cliché. And that's what took you do long?"

"No, then Valerie came."

"Ah, I see." Tuck replied in understanding.

"But the weird thing is, the cat's eyes were so similar to Sam's..." I had to tell him what was on my mind.

Tucker just sighed. "Dude, I think your mind is playing tricks on you."

I gave him a questioning look, wondering just where he was going with this.

"You miss her so much, you're beginning to imagine things." he explained.

"Tuck, I know what I saw." I replied coolly. "What if it has something to do with Sam? What if-"

"Dude, do you hear yourself?" Tucker interrupted, "Look, I know you're desperate for a lead, but looking to hard and jumping to conclusions won't get us anywhere."

I stood there in silence. I really thought I was on to something. Was it really that out there? Am I really so blinded by the search that I'm imagining leads?

I transformed back to Fenton and removed the hair tie from my pocket.

"Maybe you're right... But you've got to admit, I do have a real clue."

I held up the hair tie. "This is the only genuine lead we have."

Tucker nodded in agreement.

"The way I see it, there are two possibilities" I continued, "It was either left by Sam herself, or whoever took Sam"

"This would be so much easier of we knew where she was..." said Tucker.

"We don't." my eyes narrowed in determination. "But I'm going to find out."

I transformed back into Phantom, and we flew to the training grounds. We only had about an hour to train after all of today's distractions.

That night, after dropping Tucker off home, I went for a fly to clear my head. Even after what Tuck said, I still couldn't get my mind off that cat...

* * *

><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

I stretched out my limbs, taking in the evening air. This place actually wasn't too bad, once you got past the whole captive scenario. The garden was green, and the lake was glistening under the moonlight. It was almost relaxing…

Almost…

Aragon was sure to appear any minute now. It was hard to savor the few hours I had as a human each night when he kept bothering me.

And sure enough, he stood in front of me, smirking. I'm sure he thought tonight was the night I would finally give in. As if!

"Now darling" He spoke, getting down on one knee, a pose that had become familiar to me. Meanwhile, I had turned my back to him, arms crossed. He took note of my body language.

"Come on, I know it's not ideal for you, but we'd make the perfect couple. Won't you please marry me?"

Arms still crossed I slowly turned to face him. "Every night, you ask me the same question"

I stood strong as I looked directly into his cold, dragon-like eyes.

"And every night, I give you the same answer"

"Sammy, don't do this-"

I turned back away from him. "I'd rather die." I muttered under my breath.

He stood up, angered. "That's it! I try to play the 'nice guy' and this is what I get in return?" He calmed himself and regained a smirk. If this was him being the 'nice guy' I wouldn't want to be on his bad side. Then again, I'm sure I already was.

"It seems you are running out of time." He said, pointing to the moon as it passed through the sky. It's reflection slowly exiting the lake. My eyes widened as I knew what was to come next. But I would not show weakness. I swallowed my sadness and stood strong as the white light engulfed me. I looked up at the demon who caused this who simply smirked. I'm sure he could sense the sorrow beneath my brave outer mask.

"Oh, don't look at me like that." He said to me. I turned away and walked slowly in the opposite direction of him.

"Do you think I like doing this?" He shouted. He then sighed and finished. "Well, I most certainly do not! I only do this because I have to!" He left with a 'hmph' as he vanished into a puff of smoke.

I hated this situation with all my heart. I wanted nothing more than to get back to my usual life. I just need to find a way to break this stupid curse… But how? I'm isolated from the outside world. I'd just have to pray Danny knew how to break the curse. That is, if he's even able to find me.

No, I can't rely on others. I can do this on my own.

My feet carried me to town, before I even had a plan. The only way I'd be able to make any progress is if I went to Amity during the light hours. I can do this.


	9. Affection

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **Ugh, I had to sit down and force myself to write this -_- I've just been so tired lately, and I've been working on two new stories, and they're _still _not nearly ready to post. :( But in the end, I do like how this chapter turned out :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

**Sam's POV  
><strong>  
><em>How to break a curse… I have no idea where to even begin!<em>

I thought to myself while wandering the streets of Amity Park. I'm starting to find my way to town much quicker than before. Maybe I'm getting used to maneuvering in this tiny body. I figured the best place to search for _anything_ that could help me, would be Fenton Works. I can't wait until I can put this all behind me…

_Oooof!_

I stumbled backwards on impact. What did I run into?

I coughed up a wad of white fluff and looked at the oversized cat towering over me. I was frozen with fear as the animal hissed angrily at me and raised its claws. I had no clue how to defend myself!

It pounced on me with an exceptionally loud hiss and its claws dug into my skin as we tumbled on the sidewalk. Its sharp teeth bit down hard on my right ear and I cried out in pain. I raised my own claws in an attempt to pull the large cat off of me, but was only able to deliver a few scratches. In contrast, I was coated in scratches. I just need to get the thing off me long enough to escape.

But the creature wouldn't release its grip. Every time I found an opening, a slight release, I desperately tried to flee the scene, but every time the cat would pull me right back into the fight. I'm not sure how much more of this I would be able to take.

After a sharp bite to the shoulder, I screamed in pain yet again. I saw that my opponent's white fur was stained with blood. Most of it was probably my own.

I started to fade out, when I heard a familiar voice that sent shivers down my spine.

"Maddie, there you are!" The billionaire said, relieved to have located his run-away pet. If I was the FrootLoop's cat, I probably would've tried to leave as well.

"Don't run off like that again! You'll make Daddy scared!" He picked the white blob of fluff. I took a deep breath, finally free of the immense amount of pressure that was previously suffocating me.

"Oh, you're covered in blood!" He then looked down at me with disgusted eyes. "Oh Maddie, don't pick fights! Especially not with such filth!"

I glared at the white-haired man. I was not in the mood to be insulted like that! Without thinking, I stood up and bit his ankle. He yelped in pain.

"Sugar Cookies! Why you little…" He began, pushing me away with his foot. On the concrete, I lie there, weak and exhausted. Vlad could seriously hurt me, and looked like he was about to. Thankfully, he regained his composure. "I don't have time for trash like you! Come Maddie." He said to the hideous animal in his arms. Before leaving, he took a good look at me.

"Hmmm, she resembles Daniel's little friend… What was her name?" He then laughed to himself. "Perhaps it is he, who needs the cat." And with that, he took off.

Great, the FrootLoop could practically figure it out, while Danny is _still_ clueless…

_Danny! _I thought to myself, remembering why I was even near Fenton Works in the first place.

I tried to stand up, but could barely get on my feet. I put one paw in front of the other, and continued on. I was approaching the front of the building.

_Almost there…_

My last thought, before blacking out.

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><p><strong>Danny's POV<strong>

I don't think my day could've gone worse…

It started off this morning, when Technus showed up, and terrorized the computer lab while I was in the middle of finishing homework. I was able to stop him, only to fail the homework assignment.

Then during lunchtime, Congress just _had_ to provoke the Lunch Lady by deeming pizza an official vegetable. She wasn't too thrilled about the menu change.

When the final bell rang, I couldn't wait to leave. I rushed to my locker, and Tuck met me there. Little things like getting my books felt empty with one person missing.

After leaving the school, despite how tired I was, I would have to train more. We were just about to head over to the training grounds, when my ghost sense went off.

"What now?" I moaned, as I looked around.

"I AM THE BOX GHOST! BEWARE!"

I face-palmed.

"Ugh, this guy again? Really?"

"Hey, would you rather have it be someone threatening?" Tucker replied.

"Good point." I said as I ducked into a nearby alley. "I'm going ghost!" I yelled as I transformed into Phantom. I flew to catch up to the obnoxious box-loving ghost.

"Tsk tsk, boxy. Will you ever learn your lesson?"

He had a quizzical expression on his face "BEWARE!" He shouted, before fleeing the scene.

"Nah-ah-ah." I said smoothly and nonchalantly floated over to him, passing his speed quickly. This was only getting easier each time.

"FACE THE WRATH OF CARDBOARD DOOM!" He announced before creating small purple boxes out of thin air and propelling them at me. Since when can he do that?

"I, THE BOX GHOST, HAVE GROWN STRONGER SINCE OUR LAST ENCOUNTER!" and with that, he through several more boxes in my direction.

After noticing how easily I could dodge them, a somewhat frightened look appeared on his face. He shouted one last "Beware!" before trying to fly away. This chase was getting boring.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but I have somewhere I've got to be." I pulled out the Fenton thermos and aimed at the annoying ghost. A blue light emitted from the device and captured him. I capped the thermos and prepared to fly back the way I came. I looked down to see where I was, and noticed I had made my way close to Fenton Works. I then looked at the thermos in hand, and realized it contained three ghosts. Why not make a quick stop and empty it in the portal?

I flew down to an alley near my house and changed back to Fenton. I put the thermos in my backpack, and proceeded to my front door. I had to be quick. After all, I didn't want to keep Tucker waiting _again._

I ran down to the lab, and quickly dumped the contents of the device into the portal. Satisfied, I walked back upstairs to find something I hadn't noticed when I initially walked in.

"Hey Jazz, what have you got there?"

My sister looked up from what she was doing. "Well when I got home, I found this cat near out front door, and she was all injured, so I decided to fix her up." She said, gesturing to the black cat sleeping in her lap.

It couldn't be the same cat, could it?

My question answered when the small creature's eyes fluttered open to reveal a deep shade of violet that were certainly unique. The poor animal could only hold them open for a few seconds before she slipped back into unconsciousness. But why had the cat come here? What happened?

"Oh Danny, it's just a cat. Don't be afraid." She must've mistaken my hesitance for fear. I'm sure she was well aware that I don't usually get along well with cats.

"Here, why don't you take care of it. I need to go to the library." She said, handing me the cat.

"But Jazz, I-" and she was out the door. Great. She didn't even consider I might have plans. I sighed. I guess I'll just have to tell Tuck something came up. I picked up my phone and sent him a text, struggling to type with one hand, while holding the sleeping cat in the other.

I sat on the couch where Jazz was, and placed the cat on my lap. I had to admit, she was sort of cute, sleeping. I studied the bandages wrapped around her, especially the ones on her ear and shoulder. Honestly, how can one cat manage to get herself into so much trouble?

She slept for a few more hours. In that time, I was able to catch up on homework. It was almost nice to have time to relax for a little bit.

Eventually, the black cat slowly lifted her head, and her eyes opened. She turned her head to me and looked somewhat surprised. It's weird to think of a cat having emotions.

"It's ok, kitty. Everything's ok now." I said to her. I can't believe I'm talking to a cat.

She looked up at me with big purple eyes that made my heart melt. They were so warm, so familiar…

Still sitting on my lap, she rubbed her head against my chest adoringly. I pet her and smiled. Who knew cats could actually be affectionate?

I scooped her off my lap, and drew her closer to my face. Her whiskers rubbed against my cheek. Ever since I was little, it felt like man could only really bond like this with a k9, but it seems like I've been proved wrong. This cat especially, was rather cute.

"_Danny"_

"Who said that?" I said, pulling the cat back down to my lap. I looked around, expecting to see Jazz, but nobody was there. I was the only one home.

"Well that was weird…" _It sounded almost like Sam… Maybe I'm hearing things._

Then I heard the front door open, and Jazz made her way inside. The cat on my lap wasted no time running to the door, escaping before Jazz closed it.

"So, how was cat-sitting?" Jazz asked with a smile.

"Pretty boring." I lied. "It slept the whole time."

Jazz's smile faded. "That's too bad… They say pets are psychologically healthy for you, and I figured that you've been troubled lately… "

I shrugged "Jazz, I'm fine. I'm going to my room."

I walked up my stairs, taking my backpack with me. Atleast I didn't have to worry about homework for the rest of the night…


	10. Voice

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **I'm kind of surprised nobody really caught on to the whole "Sam talking" thing. Sorry this chapter's so short. I didn't have a whole lot of time to write it, but the next chapter is supposed to be super intense Plus, I was working on my new story "Stranger I Know So Well" so check it out if you can. Reviews are always appreciated.

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

**Sam's POV  
><strong>

It didn't feel like I was lying on the cold concrete anymore. No, I was much warmer now… Where am I?

Still feeling weak, I opened my eyes to see Danny standing in front of me, just staring. Am I dreaming?

I stared back for a few seconds, until I could no longer keep my eyes open. I fell back into a sound sleep.

By the time I regained consciousness, atleast a few hours had gone by. After awakening, I realized I had been sleeping on denim. I must've been on somebody's lap.

I turned my head and looked up, to see none other than Danny with a smile on his face. I was in his house… He must've helped me, after that fight…

"It's ok, kitty. Everything's ok now." He said in a soothing voice. There's nothing I missed more than his warm tone. I couldn't resist nudging my head against him. I didn't want to let him go…

He responded by petting me gently. I purred contently. He then lifted me closer to his face, and I continued rubbing my face affectionately against his cheeks. Here in arms, was true bliss.

"_Danny_"

"Who said that?" Danny asked, lowering me back to his lap in surprise.

_Did I just… talk?_

"Well, that was weird…" Danny said in a rather confused tone. Suddenly, my enhanced hearing picked up the gears in the front door turning, as someone was unlocking it. The lake... I had to get there before the moon rises… No matter how much I wanted to stay, I knew I couldn't.

As the door slowly creaked open, I ran at what would likely my only opportunity to leave before it was too late. I zoomed right past Jazz as she made her way into the door. I was still a little sore, but those past few hours of resting certainly helped a lot.

I really did not want to see the man who put this curse on me… But I knew I had to, just to stand a _chance _at breaking it. I wanted to stay longer, like that in Danny's arms forever…

Wait a second, I spoke before. Like, actually human English! Something must have triggered it. Something slightly weakened the spell momentarily…

Human love and affection. That had to be it! I found the cure!

I know how to break the curse! But I'm going to need a little help…

* * *

><p><strong>DANNY'S POV<strong>

"So you're telling me, after all this, you _still_ don't believe that cat has _any_ significance?" I shouted at my friend, who seemed to have trouble putting two in two together. I might be clueless, but come on!

"Dude, it's a cat. It's probably just-"

"Nothing?" I interrupted. "Didn't you say the same thing about Sam's disappearance?"

Tucker was silent. He tilted his head downward, remembering what he had said earlier. A few moments passed, before he spoke again.

"Oh man… Dude, I'm sorry…" He said, obviously embarrassed. "It's a little far-fetched… but we should atleast look into this." I smiled. I've been trying to convince him ever since we started today's training. I had my suspicions about the cat before, but ever since last night, I knew it couldn't just be a coincidence.

Tuck picked up some more Fenton daggers and once again, worked on his throwing arm.

"Maybe you've got a point…" He finally said after a few minutes of thought. "But what if it's all a trap?"

"A trap?" I asked him. I swear, he can be so skeptical sometimes…

"Look, just hear me out. What if all this is just some sort of bait to get to you? I mean it makes sense. With Sam gone, and her hair tie _and_ now that you mention it, the cat…"

I shot him a puzzled look. "So you mean to tell me it's all a trap? Don't you think whatever's behind it would've just cut to the chase by now? I mean, what would he get by dragging it out this long?"

Tucker pondered for a moment. "Hmmm… I guess you're right about that. But just keep it in mind as a possibility." And with that, he aimed another Fenton dart at a target he had previously set up on a tree, farther away. However, Tuck's arm slipped, and the sharp object flew through the air, missing the initial target by a good twenty or thirty feet.

"Dang it!" He shouted in defeat, as he slowly walked in the direction of the lost weapon.

I laughed at his terrible shot, when a familiar noise filled my own ears.

"Meow"

Below me, sat the violet-eyed cat, always shrouded in mystery.

As I slowly floated down to approach her, she ran away, fast.


	11. Revelation

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **Yay, next chapter! It's starting to get intense, isn't it now? :P Before the story starts, I just want to share something from the movie "Swan Princess"

Odette (AKA: princess): Is beauty all that matters to you?

Derek (AKA: prince): What else is there?

(Everyone facepalms)

Assistant Guy: You should write a book, "How to offend women in five syllables or less"

XD Enough lolz, on with the story!

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><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

**Danny's POV**

"Hey, wait!"

I called after the familiar black cat. I was about to chase after her, but decided to grab the Fenton Thermos, just in case. Tucker did have a valid point. This very well could be some sort of trap.

She was certainly agile, dodging roots and other debris with ease. If it weren't for my ability of flight and intangibility, I would never be able to keep up with her.

I had to catch the cat. I wasn't going to let her escape. She always disappeared before I had time to figure anything out.

Sure, I could fly up to 112 miles per hour, but with all the twists and turns of the forest, she would constantly change directions, bringing my speed down.

She was leading me somewhere, but where? What Tuck said earlier certainly got me thinking… Maybe she's leading me to a trap? Maybe this is all just some elaborate trick. Either way, I had to catch the cat.

The orange sky began fading to a deeper blue. It was getting darker. I had to catch the thing soon.

She lead me to a large stone wall, and squeezed through an opening. I followed, phasing through the wall.

Once inside, I looked around at a huge garden. Why would a cat be here? A better question, why would she lead me here?

I looked at the black cat, sitting calmly in what looked like a shallow lake. I wasn't going to let her run away again.

"Hold it right there!" I said, pointing my thermos at her. I know it couldn't catch anything other than ghosts, but maybe the cat didn't know that. I just didn't want her to leave before I knew what she really was. For all I knew, the cat actually _is _a ghost that's just over-shadowing a cat to prevent my ghost sense from going off. **(A/N: in Public Enemies, Danny's ghost sense didn't go off when everyone was over-shadowed)**

Just as I adjusted my stance in order to look more threatening, I noticed something. As the reflection of the waning crescent moon touched the small feline, she began glowing. Unsure of what was happening, I prepared to attack at a seconds notice

Suddenly, a bright light engulfed the cat, and I squinted to try and make out what was happening. As the light faded, I didn't expect to see the familiar figure in front of me.

"Hi, Danny"

I let the thermos clank to the ground as I ran full speed to the center of the lake, taking the girl standing in front of me into a full embrace. It's been so long.

"I've missed you, Sam…" I said, holding her in my arms.

"Danny, I've missed you too…" She said, tears forming in her eyes.

"I never stopped looking for you. You tried to tell me along, didn't you?" I said with a smile. She returned the smile, nodding.

"I should've realized sooner. I'm sorry." I said to her, slowly releasing the hug.

"Don't worry, it's not your fault." She replied. "But did you_ really_ have to go and call me a stupid cat?"

"Oh yeah, that was _you_ wasn't it…" I laughed nervously. "I am _so _incredibly sorry-"

"Save it." Sam said in the usual sarcastic tone I missed so much. "But you have to go. Now."

I shot her a confused look. "But why? I finally found you. I'm not leaving you again."

She had a worried expression on her face, as she pushed me back toward the wall from which we came. "No, you have to go. _He _will be here any minute." She said in a panic.

"Who will be here?" I asked her.

"Aragon. He-"

"Aragon? I can take him. I beat him once, and I'll beat him again." I said confidently.

The worry on her face grew. "You don't understand. He's much more powerful now. He has me under a spell. By morning, I'll turn back into a cat, and I have to be back here by moonlight if I want to be human again."

"Well, is there any way to break the spell?" I asked.

"I think so. It's just a guess, but human love and affection temporarily weakened the spell so…" Her cheeks turned slightly pink.

I nervously rubbed the back of my neck as my cheeks also turned a deep shade of red. Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

"The dance!" I said excitedly. "Be my date to the dance tomorrow night. Then we can break the spell."

Sam blushed more at the idea, before nodding. "Ok, I'll be there. Just please, go!"

I stood in front of the wall and before leaving, turned back to Sam. "See you tomorrow." I said with a smile.

She smiled back at me happily. "Until tomorrow…"

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><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

I watched as Danny phased through the wall, leaving. And not a moment too soon.

I turned around quickly to see Aragon materializing front of me.

"That's awfully strange…" he said in a voice colder than usual. "I thought I heard voices over here…"

"Nope, just me over here. You must be hearing things." I replied quickly, trying to sound as believable as possible.

"And you're sure there was nobody else here?"

I had to think fast in order to throw off his suspicions. "I-I've decided… to marry you" I blurted out.

His eyes widened with what I'm guessing to be joy. "R-really? Oh Princess Samantha, you've made me so happy! There will be a grand wedding and everything!" I tried not to show my deep disdain outwardly.

"Oh, and one more thing." He reached behind his back to get something "You wouldn't happen to know who this belongs to, would you?" He pulled out the Fenton Thermos to show me, before throwing into a deeper part of the lake. Danny must've left it behind! "Come to the dance tomorrow night." He said, imitating Danny's voice.

"I will never be yours!" I shouted in pure anger and hatred. "If you want to stop me from going, you'll have to _kill_ me!"

"Ah, but I won't need to." He smirked "Tomorrow, there will be no moon." And he laughed maniacally before disappearing. I looked up in horror at the almost completely blackened crescent above me. Oh no…


	12. Bliss

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **Sorry it's so short. I know I need to work on making my chapters longer, but it's not easy while trying to update is often. Next chapter will be longer, promise. :) Plus, testing is this week and well... this is me taking a test.

Question: If you have 4 pennies and 2 dimes, blah blah blah organize em.

Me: I know! I'll use P to represent pennies, and D to represent dimes! (starts writing) let's see, DD, PD, DP... hehehe, DP... (starts doodling Danny Phantom logos) (sometime later) Wait... wasn't I taking a test? Crap! (gets back to problem)

On with the story!

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><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

**Danny's POV**

I straightened my sky-blue tie as I looked in the mirror to make sure everything looked right. I inspected my navy blue suit carefully, just to be safe. Everything had to be perfect.

I went downstairs to leave, when my parents stopped me.

"Danny, where are you going?" My mom asked.

"To the dance. I thought I told you guys." I replied.

"Well you did-" She began but was abruptly cut off by my father "But your mother and I insist on dropping you off in the Assault Vehicle, just to make sure you get there safe!" I groaned. They always had some way of embarrassing me, no matter the situation.

"So son, where's your date? Do we have to pick her up?" My dad asked.

"Ummm…" I stalled trying to think up something. "She's going to be running late, so we agreed to meet up there."

"Well, that's awfully rude of Valerie to show up late…" My mom said as my cheeks turned pink.

"I didn't say it was Valerie…" I managed to say.

"Ah, but you never said it wasn't" my dad said with a wink.

"Can we just get going now?" I said, trying to get off the subject. They nodded and we walked out to the metal monstrosity that was the family car.

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><p>I've been waiting patiently at this same table for almost an hour. Valerie even sat down here for a few minutes, and we talked for a bit. Once you get passed her obsession with hunting me, she's actually a really great person. Lately, I haven't seen her at all, other than as Phantom. I didn't even realize how much I missed talking to her.<p>

After a good conversation, she asked me to dance. I declined, but she just went to the dance floor without me. She probably wanted to talk to Star or Kwan, considering they're the only A-listers that still talk to her.

I looked outside and noticed how dark it was getting… she should be here soon…

Right as the current song ended, a feminine figure entered through the double doors and a smile grew on my face. Everyone's mouth hung open in shock, not believing who they were seeing.

She looked as beautiful as she did on this night, one year ago. She was always different from the other girls, but that's why I liked her so much. While most dresses had a sweet-heart neckline and frilly skirt, she had a black corset, with a long sparkly red skirt down to the floor. It was almost identical to last year's dress, aside from the color.

Her jet black hair was also tied back in the same fashion. Her violet eyes were sparkling, complimented by deep red eye shadow.

She slowly and gracefully walked over to where I was standing, many heads turning as she did so. It was dead silent, despite a few whispers.

"She looks a lot like…"

"Is it really her?"

"No, it can't be..."

I stood up from my chair, and approached her. "Glad you could make it" I said with a smile.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." She said softly as she grabbed my hand and ushered me to the dance floor. She placed my hands around her waist, and put her own around my neck. Slowly, we rocked back and forth to the beat of the next song the DJ played.

"Everyone's staring…" She whispered.

I chuckled a little bit. "What do you expect? You've been missing for quite some time."

She just smiled back at me, and we continued dancing for a few more songs. Eventually, most people resumed their own activities, but a few continued to stare and question.

Somehow in my mind, I imagined this differently. I should be happy. The moment was absolutely perfect! But something almost seemed… off.

"Sam, you seem… different." I choked out.

"What do you mean?" She asked, puzzled.

"I don't know… It just feels… weird"

"Well, with these past few days, I've been kind of nervous… It's just you're so brave and smart and…" She froze for a moment "Am I still talking? Wow, I am such a spazz." She finished, blushing.

"It's ok, Sam, I'm nervous too." I admitted, blushing a little myself.

The song transitioned to a slower, romantic one, and we both smiled.

"So, how about bringing this whole curse business to an end?" Sam whispered, leaning in closer.

"Sounds good to me." I replied, closing my eyes in preparation.

I could feel her soft breath on my face just as our lips were just about to meet…


	13. Forgotten

**FAR LONGER THAN FOREVER**

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><p><strong>AN: **Aren't we forgetting something? :P We're rapidly approaching the climax! :O Thank you so much for the reviews and favorites everybody! :) I really apreciate them

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><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

**Sam's POV**

I glared angrily at the evil ghost who stood in the doorway of the prison cell I was forced into.

"Will you stop it with those eyes? I told you, I don't like this any more than you do. Besides, we can't have you causing any trouble tonight." His signature smirk grew on his face.

My glare significantly harshened at this statement. I was so close…

"Oh, cheer up! Look, I even brought you a friend. Poor guy got lost in the woods." Friend? What was he-

My eyes widened as he grabbed the prisoner who was all too familiar.

"Hey, let me go!" The techno-geek shouted before being shoved into the cell, face-planting to the ground in front of me.

Aragon just laughed and closed the cell door, locking us both within.

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><p><strong>Tucker's POV<strong>

What... just happened?

After I found the stray Fenton-dart, I was ambushed before I even knew what hit me. Next thing I know, I'm being dragged to this place. Of course the one time when Danny is completely out of sight…

_Danny! _

Aragon's probably going to go after him next if he hasn't already. Well, atleast he can handle himself. Right now, I should worry about getting myself out of here.

I scowered the room searching for something, anything that can help me escape.

It was so dark in here, I could barely make out my hand in front of my face. I could see the night sky through a small window, much to small and high up to possibly reach.

I looked around the room and jumped in surprise, noting the small creature shrouded in shadows. I hadn't noticed the cat before. She blended right in.

Slowly, she approached me. Her deep purple eyes gave off an ominous glow. It was giving me the creeps!

She seemed so harmless though… Wait, that was it! If I could attach a note to the cat and get her through the window, then somebody might find it! Sure, it was a slow plan, but it's better than just waiting around with no hope of anyone finding you. At the very least, it'll ease my mind a little bit.

I rummaged through my pockets, searching for something to write with, or on. I smiled to myself when I remembered I still had that stray Fenton-dart on me. I wrapped my fingers around the small knife-like weapon and pulled it out of one of the deep pockets of my cargo pants.

Thankfully, I had a flyer for the school dance in my pocket as a reminder. I used the dart to puncture the skin on my finger, and began writing my SOS message in blood.

"HELP! TUCKER TRAPPED FORREST PRISON" The stained paper said. I blew on it quickly, drying the ink alternative. Once I was positive the message wouldn't smudge, I folded it up. Then, I took out the pair of ear buds I carried with me at all times.

"Here, kitty-kitty" I said signalling the cat to come closer. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

To my surprise, the animal actually obeyed. She even held out her paw as if she knew what I was planning to do. Taking advantage of this, I quickly tied the note to her back leg.

"Now come here." I said, hesitantly opening my arms. The black cat came closer, and I lifted her up

"I can do this…" I said to myself, preparing to launch the cat up to the window.

"Ok… three… two… one!" And the cat went soaring through the air, barely clinging on to the window ledge with her front claws. Fortunately, she was able to pull herself up and run off.

"Perfect! Now that I have a back-up plan" I looked at the knife in my hand. "Time to try and make my own escape."

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><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

_Well, that was easier than I thought…_

I pulled at the piece of paper tied tightly to my leg until it came lose and fell off.

_Sorry, Tuck, but it would only slow me down._

At full speed, I ran fast as I could in the direction of Casper High. The cold night air sent a shiver down my spine, but I disregarded it. I had to get to the dance. Nothing else mattered.

Adreneline pumping, I finally found my way out of the woods, and rushed through the familiar streets of Amity Park to get to the school.

Upon arriving, I faced a new problem. How was I even going to get inside? I tried the front door, and it wouldn't even budge. The same goes for all the side doors located all around the building. I desperately searched for a way to get in. Maybe I could try the windows…

From the front steps, I was able to hop onto the sill of a nearby window, and walked along it until reaching the left side of the school where the gym was located. From there, I got a view of the whole dance. I could see the A-listers dancing in their own little circle, the band geeks hiding awkwardly in the corner, and Danny dancing with… me?

She certainly looked like me, atleast. Aragon must've sent an imposter! No wonder Danny wasn't out looking for me! I banged desperately on the window, trying to get his attention, but not one person noticed me.

I wanted so much to cry out his name, but all that would come out was "meow."

To my horror, I watched as the faker slowly leaned in to kiss him. This was my last chance. I wanted to interupt them. I wanted to show Danny where I really was. How could he not tell the difference between me, and whatever _that_ was.

Pain was twisting and writhing inside me, as I could feel the dark magic within me growing stronger.

_NOOO! _I screamed as I began pounding harder on the window.

…_no…_


End file.
